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Transcript

THE PROBLEM OF ISLAMIC IDENTITY IN EUROPE
Nur Eddin Fatima, Artemenko A.P.
The National University of Pharmacy, Lebanon, Beirut
Cupid-O@ hot mail.com
Europe has built over the last decades a union that confirms to the world the
identity of the countries included. Consisting different countries, the European Union
has mixed cultures and boarders that would seem a little bit unclear to some. Mixed
with Western identity and Islamic one, Europe seems to face a challenging proximity.
Being the second largest religion in Europe after Christianity, the Islamic identity is
under argument whether it’s a part of Europe identity or an intruder of it. Do they
both share a unite identity of Europe? Can we call it a shared identity? Can one
actually delete the other? Is it so dangerous to accept the Islamic culture in
westernized countries? So, what is the Islamic identity? Why has it been under
criticism for so long? How did it enter Europe and how Europe is accommodating?
Presenting some facts, we should know that when we talk about the spread of
Islam in Europe first we should divide it into 4 quarters, Eastern Europe and Western
Europe and the south east (Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, etc.) and south west of Europe
where the south part were Muslim countries and that didn’t match the boundaries of
Europe. When we look at the history, European and Russian leaders had Muslim
allies and they had mosques in their countries where it wasn’t a big deal. So, there
was a time where Islam and Europe were conceded to one another.
So, we were inherited the idea that ‘Europe’ (North West Europe to be exact) is
all about civilization, freedom, progress, superior. We were also inherited the
Islamophobia, and that Islam is only related to Arabs knowing that there are 1.62
billion Muslims around the world, and that Muslims in the United Kingdom where
found more than in Lebanon and in China more than in Syria in a study done by
the Pew Research Center in 2014. Shedding the light on the media, it played an
important role in passing on this in heritage from one generation to another. Not only
feeding it more lies, but also shedding the lights on extremists in titling it with ‘why
we should hate Islam’.
Islamic identity and well-being are not antagonists to one another. It is not
necessary correlated to Arabs and Middle East. The same way Christianity is not only
related to west only. However, men in power knew how to create a shielded castle to
their own ignorance and that is by spreading this ignorance among people. Wars
caused by caliphs, rulers, kings, presidents, whatever they call themselves over time,
in the name of any religion has done nothing over the years but increased the gap
between people among each other and among people and religions.
From socio-cultural point of view, I think there is a claim from the Europeans
that Islamic tradition and rules may not fit the westernized life style, and a fear that
this may interfere with their social life. Europe actually cares about all people living
within its lands to have the same rights. So, with great number of Muslim
immigrants, Europe is in a complex between providing total comfort and equal rights
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for the immigrants for their world image in one hand, and between taking precautions
from the claimed effect of these immigrants in their countries. So, may a ’MuslimWestern’ identity occur or even allowed from both sides? After all, Islam and Europe
did share history once.
A turning point would be the events of 9/11 that brought Islam again to the
number one media subject after being hiding in the shades for several years. The
media played a major role in directing what happened to make it a campaign against
Muslims. Ever since, it actually succeeded in creating that propaganda about Muslims
and stereotyping them.
Terrorism has no identity; unfortunately, those terrorists who are killing,
bombing, forcing their identity, are doing so in the name of Islam, knowing that Islam
and all religions are free from these people and condemn them. So, I am with taking
extra safety measurements to prevent these terrorists, but I am not with making
campaigns against ‘Islam’. I think the government and the people share the
responsibility of being aware and acknowledged to realize that Islam is the number
one victim of these terrorist. Europe has done an excellent job in the extra
measurements against Muslims, but terribly bad in informing people about Islam.
Feeding people with ignorance, government increased the hatred against
followers of this religion making them in the victim list again. So, a question is
raised, are people in power, the ones who are capable of making decisions, associates
in all the crimes? May it have been that they wanted this to happen so they lead
people to it? Many became enchanted by the religion that they converted and some
turned their hatred to respect and love. Others, some just kept on polluting the world
with this propaganda. We all fear what we don’t know, so just know; for, knowledge
is power.
Islam, being viewed as an extreme religion in the west, it gained a worldwide
hatred thanks to people in power who provoked and nourished that hatred among
people. However, the beauty in God’s creation of humans is that he created us with
the ability to feel and think. In the last few years, we have witnessed an enormous
breakthrough in the world; people are refuting against their rulers mainly because of
feeling inequality, injustice, insecure, not having their rights, not treated well as
human beings. These humane values are not for one kind of people with certain
background, but are for all human races. It is wrong to label certain religion because
of some extremists who happens to be holding that religion in their pockets on their
identity card. Anyone can be bad or good regardless where they come from or what
they believe.
The Islamic identity should be understood positively in other societies with positive
interaction. Accepting Muslims in Europe and integrating them would enrich the
culture and build a tolerant environment in the country they live and eventually in the
whole world.
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